Wall Street Money Never Sleeps: Movie Review

Oliver Stone returns to the big screen with the long awaited sequel to his 1980s hit Wall Street. Money Never Sleeps takes place during the 2008 recession and follows a new and younger group of Wall Street traders. The film doesn’t try to copy the original as much as you might think. Yes, there’s the mentoring of an up and comer by a devious veteran but it also tackles the politics and corruption present in the new millennium. Money Never Sleeps opens a whole new bag of worms.

The Plot:

Money Never Sleeps is set 20 years after the first film and centers on a young Wall Street trader named Jacob Moore (Labeouf), who gets taught some hard lessons in the business. After emerging from his stint in prison, Gordon Gekko has become a popular author and media expert on all things financial. He’s also Jacob’s future father-in-law who helps him take down the corrupt bank CEO, Bretton James (Brolin). In exchange for his services, Moore has to help Gekko repair his estranged relationship with his daughter Winnie (Mulligan). He soon discovers that playing with money is like playing with greed and greed isn’t good, it’s evil.

The Good:

The Cast:Money Never Sleeps is filled with a cast of Oscar winners and nominees led by the cool and collected Michael Douglas. Every actor elevates the other’s performance, which makes the film more watchable and more entertaining. LaBeouf may seem like an odd choice for such a dramatic role but he really brings it and proves that he can hang with the big dogs.

The Cinematography: New York City is shown in the way that would make any outsider jealous. It’s shot beautifully with the architecture being somewhat of a secondary character in the film.

The Wardrobe: All of the characters have money and we can tell. Their dressed from head to toe in the most expensive and tailored clothes. You will walk out of the theater with a sudden desire to hit the mall. The film makes you not only want to look good, but powerful as well.

The Set Design: Everything from the Wall Street offices, to the lofts, to the mansions are crafted with such detail. The set designers make sure that every nook and cranny tells a story about the characters and they do!

Carey Mulligan: Earlier I noted the cast but Mulligan’s performance deserves to be called out. Her portrayal as the long suffering daughter of Gekko and fiancee of Jacob is the heart and soul of the film. She’s the glue that holds both men together whether they realize it or not, and when she breaks the viewer does as well. That’s how good she is.

The Bad:

The Length: The only bad thing about the film is its length. The last 15 minutes could have been cut out. The story seems to have a natural resolve at a certain point but then it throws you a curve ball that then has to be played out. Unfortunately, by that time you’re ready for everything to wrap up.

Overall:

Wall Street Money Never Sleeps is a pleasant surprise. It’s not better than the original but it’s a solid stand alone film.

Rating: 8/10

Wall Street Money Never Sleeps opens in theaters nationwide on September 24th.